24 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia celebrates Australian projects bound for Cannes Film Festival 2024
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, The Surfer, Withered Blossoms
Three Australian titles have been selected for the 77th Festival de Cannes in France, which runs from 14 25 May 2024. Making their respective world premieres are Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, The Surfer and Withered Blossoms.
Screen Australia's CEO Deirdre Brennan said, "We are thrilled by the selection of such a diverse range of films for Cannes 2024. From the highly-anticipated feature Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga by George Miller one of Australia's most successful filmmakers; Robert Connolly's The Surfer an Irish/Australian co-production filmed in Western Australia; and Withered Blossoms, a compelling short film crafted from our emerging filmmakers. This is a remarkable achievement and a testament to the strength of our world-class screen industry. Our sincere congratulations to the creative teams involved, we can't wait for global audiences to engage with these brilliant films."
Academy Award-winning writer/director George Miller will unveil his next action adventure, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga with an Out of Competition gala screening at the Grand Th tre Lumi re on 15 May. The film stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth and Tom Burke, with much of the filming taking place in regional NSW.
The NSW Government s Made in NSW fund and PDV Rebate and the Federal Government's Producer Offset helped to secure the production, and to date, is the biggest film ever to be made in Australia.
Director George Miller said The idea of this prequel has been with me for over a decade. I couldn't be more thrilled to return to the Festival de Cannes along with Anya, Chris and Tom to share Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga.
Irish/Australian Co-production The Surfer will screen in the Festival's Midnights section, and is a gritty and intensely unnerving psychological thriller about community, tribalism, ownership and masculinity-in-crisis. Directed by Lorcan Finnegan (Vivarium), written by Thomas Martin and starring Nicolas Cage, the film was shot in a single location in Yallingup in Western Australia.
Producer Robert Connolly said It is wonderful to receive such prestigious recognition for the work of so many talented creatives, cast and crew. I'm thrilled for director Lorcan Finnegan who has made an incredible work of cinema.
Australian talent in front of and behind the camera is further represented across the Cannes Film Festival this year, with the selection of Withered Blossoms in the La Cin f strand. From the creative talents of AFTRS (Australian Film Television and Radio School) students, the short film is a poignant drama directed and written by Lionel Seah, and produced by Miki Clarke. Featuring Rachel Young and Stella Ye, the narrative follows a young woman confronting her grandmother s struggle with ageing after hiding her own separation from her long-term partner. Spoken in English and Cantonese, this self-financed project showcases the burgeoning diverse and multilingual talent emerging from Australia s film industry.
Producer Miki Clarke and Director Lionel Seah said, We re thrilled that Withered Blossoms has been selected in competition for the Cannes Film Festival. As a summer holiday film, fuelled with nothing but passion, this achievement underscores the power of our close-knit team and grassroots filmmaking. We extend a special thank you to Screen Australia, DCP Australia, Trackdown Studios and AFTRS for their support in bringing this deeply personal yet universally resonant film to life.
The Cannes Film Festival is one of the world's most prestigious and competitive international film festivals, and is an invaluable platform for filmmakers and artists to launch their film to the international market. Australian films that have screened in the Cannes Film Festival across its programmes in the past include The New Boy (2023), The Stranger (2022) and Elvis (2022).
A full history of Australian titles at Cannes is available here.
Download PDF
Media enquiries Maddie Walsh | Publicist
61 2 8113 5915 | [email protected]
Jessica Parry | Senior Publicist (Mon, Tue, Thu)
61 428 767 836 | [email protected]
All other general/non-media enquiries
Sydney 61 2 8113 5800 | Melbourne 61 3 8682 1900 | [email protected]
Asia, Australia & Oceanic Stories
30/06/2025
SBS On Demand boosts global news offering with launch of France 24 FAST Channel
30 June, 2025
Media releases
SBS is expanding its international news offeri...
27/06/2025
27 06 2025 - Media release Game, set, action! Screen Australia and ABC announce new mini-series Goolagong
Marton Csokas and Lila McGuire of Goolagong. Image c...
26/06/2025
Buckle up for Great Australian Road Trips launching 31 July on SBS and SBS On De...
20/06/2025
Hit, run, oh sh#t: NITV and SBS get RECKLESS with filming underway in Western Au...
13/06/2025
Pure Drama and Fierce Rivalries set to dominate the world's most iconic spor...
12/06/2025
50 Years Strong: SBS and NITV Supercharge NAIDOC Week 2025 in a joint 50th celeb...
06/06/2025
06 06 2025 - Media release Award-Winning TV Creators Richard Gadd, Sally Wainwri...
03/06/2025
Stories of love, loyalty and self-discovery among six shortlisted Digital Origin...
28/05/2025
SBS celebrates 50 years of reflecting a diverse and contemporary Australia
28 May, 2025
Media releases
Marking 50 years of broadcasting on 9 June 2025, SBS...
28/05/2025
ABS and Verticloud announce a Strategic Partnership to accelerate Digital Transf...
22/05/2025
SBS and Screen Australia showcase the next wave of Australian storytellers with ...
22/05/2025
Rune Pedersen unpacks How Humans Talk in new SBS Audio podcast
22 May, 2025
Media releases
Ever caught yourself using baby talk with your pet and wondered ...
19/05/2025
Eurovision delivers strong Total TV audiences for SBS, dazzling more than 2.21 m...
16/05/2025
Proper Loved Up Stage One Recipients Announced
16 May, 2025
Media releases
Screen Australia's First Nations Department, the Australian Broadcasting Cor...
15/05/2025
Australia's boldest network SBS launches new brand campaign: We Go There...
15/05/2025
We Go There SBS On Demand's new Hub is entirely bold and unmistakably SBS
15 May, 2025
Media releases
The We Go There Hub brings together over 300 ti...
14/05/2025
ABS and SpaceBridge to Join Forces to Strengthen Managed Services Across Europe,...
13/05/2025
Alone Australia Season 3: The Reunion
13 May, 2025
Media releases
As the latest season nears its end, SBS's hit series brings full cast together for re...
13/05/2025
Teletimes interviews ABS CEO, Mark Rigolle...
12/05/2025
And They're Off! The Pure Drama of the Cycling Grand Tours Continues on SBS,...
12/05/2025
10 05 2025 - Media release Australian Filmmaker Lucy Mckendrick Set For Directin...
07/05/2025
SBS and NITV mark National Reconciliation Week with compelling premieres recogni...
07/05/2025
SBS commences search for a new Western Sydney production hub location
7 May, 2025
Media releases
SBS has today launched a Request for Expressions of Intere...
02/05/2025
SBS On Demand achieves stellar month on the back of Alone Australia and The Hand...
01/05/2025
01 05 2025 - Media release Screen Australia empowers 100 distinctive Australian narratives
All The Boys Are Here writer/director Goran Stolevski and It s All...
30/04/2025
Slam poet Huda the Goddess wins 2025 Les Murray Award
30 April, 2025
Media releases
Australia for UNHCR and SBS are proud to announce that Huda Fadlelmawla...
30/04/2025
SBS, NITV and NIDA partner to empower the next generation of screen creatives
30 April, 2025
Media releases
SBS, National Indigenous Television (NITV) and ...
23/04/2025
We heard that you could use a little pick-me-up, so get ready to sh-sh-shake it ...
22/04/2025
McAvaney takes the lead for SBS' Coverage of the World Athletics Championshi...
16/04/2025
Finalists announced! Five stand-out brands shortlisted for SBS Media's Susta...
15/04/2025
Claudia Karvan, Tom Gleeson, and Mark Coles Smith join in the adventure of a lif...
15/04/2025
SBS and Volleyball World sign landmark deal for Beach Volleyball World Champions...
14/04/2025
SBS becomes first Australian broadcaster to have near-and long-term carbon reduc...
11/04/2025
Isn't that Insightful? Kumi Taguchi dives deeper into Insight's taboo to...
09/04/2025
SBS On Demand partners with Euronews to extend network news offering
9 April, 2025
Media releases
SBS is expanding its international news offering with the...
09/04/2025
SBS announces TV's hottest new couple, Tony Armstrong and Courtney Act, as E...
09/04/2025
09 04 2025 - Media release Screen Australia and ACTF Kids IP Incubator Initiative enters next phase
Kids IP Incubator recipients in Melbourne for the workshop...
07/04/2025
Olympic Gold medallist and World Time Trial Champion Grace Brown joins SBS comme...
07/04/2025
Female focus: New season of Living Black highlights women in Federal Election ye...
07/04/2025
SBS News' Cost of Living Secrets podcast returns to tackle one of the key is...
04/04/2025
SBS announces initiatives to provide all Australians with trusted news and infor...
01/04/2025
01 04 2025 - Media release Bus Stop Films' first feature Boss Cat to begin production in June
Boss Cat cast (L-R): Olivia Hargroder, Penny Downie and Juli...
31/03/2025
Ready, set, Party Time!' SBS News empowers young voters with a new politica...
28/03/2025
Marion Grasby's Flavours of Heart & Home is a celebration of culture and fam...
28/03/2025
SBS delivers Federal Election news to Australians in over 60 languages
28 March, 2025
Media releases
As Australia heads to the polls on 3 May, Australia...
26/03/2025
The Secret DNA of Us premieres 17 April
20 March, 2025
Media releases
Family secrets, royal relationships and hidden histories revealed What would you disc...
24/03/2025
ABS further Strengthens Leadership Team with Appointment of Matthieu Boutrolle a...
19/03/2025
NITV and Cricket Australia elevate First Nations sport with National Indigenous ...
19/03/2025
Yumi Stynes wants older women to be SEEN' as SBS podcast returns
19 March, 2025
Media releases
Feminist icon Yumi Stynes shines a spotlight on trailbl...
24 04 2024 - Media release Screen Australia celebrates Australian projects bound for Cannes Film Festival 2024 
